Foot controller



March 16, 1937. N, J. BAUMEL 2,073,775

FOOT CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 18, 1935 Patented Mar. 16, 1937 j UNjiTEo STATESN FOOT CONTROLLER Nat J. Baumel, Washington, D. C. Application october 1s, 11935, serial No. 45,652

8 Claims.

The presentinvention relates to a foot controller or supporter, which, when applied within a shoe, will act to hold up the astragalus, as well as the inner longitudinal arch and the os calcis. 5 Oneof the important objects of the present invention isv to provide `a foot controller formed from a singleblank of material from an exact pattern graded to each individual size of shoe and which may be properly flexed to the desired l shape prior to fitting the foot controller within the shoe, means being provided for positively anchoring the foot controller against movement in the shoe. f

A` further and important object is to provide a l foot controller of the above mentioned character which includes a heel portionvand an arch thrust portion projecting forwardly from the inner edge portion of the heel part, aheel bar being associated withV the heel portion for pocketing the heel bone, thus preventing the foot from tipping outward. Another important object resides in the pro- Vision of a foot controller which will prevent relative movement laterallybetween the foot and the controller and yet a freedom of longitudinal movement and articulation will be permitted.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description when taken in conjunction` with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate vcorresponding parts throughout the several views: y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my foot controller showing the same appliedwithin a shoe;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device in its flattened condition;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an inverted sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an inverted longitudinal sectional view taken approximately lon the line 5 5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an inverted transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I designates generally my improved foot controller, same being stamped out of a single blank of material such as leather or of a light weight metal, such as aluminum or an alloy thereof, or beryllium.

In the instant illustration, the foot controller is to be applied to the right shoe. The heel portion is designated by the numeral 2 and as will be readily observed from Figures 4 and 6 of the drawing, the heel portion tapers gradually from its 'inner to its outer longitudinal edge.

A lining or facing 3 is applied to the bottom side of the heel portion and also associated with the central part of the h-eel portion 2 and projecting from the under face thereof is the pronged fastener 4, the purpose of which will be hereinafter and more fully described;

The inner longitudinal edge of the heel portion may be bevelled as indicated at 5.

Extending across the top face of the forward portion of the heel supporting base 2 and for the full width thereof is the rubber heel bar 6. The purpose of this heel bar is to pocket the heel bone of the foot and to permit the heel portion 2 of the foot controller to properly balance the os caleis..l

y While I have shown the heel bar as being formed of rubber, it is to be understood that the same may be also formed of leather or felt or in the event that the foot controller is formed of metal, the heel bar may also be formed of metal and `covered with either rubber or felt. The heel bar will also prevent the foot from tipping outward.

Forming a salient partv of the present invention is the arch thrust portion designated generally by the numeral l.v This arch thrust portion projects medially and anteriorly from the inner forward edge part of the heel supporting base 2 and is somewhat elliptical in shape. The edge portion of this arch thrust part l is skived on the under face thereof and cemented to the bottom face of the arch thrust portion 1 is the sponge rubber pad 8, the outer face thereof having its edge portion also skived as indicated at 9.

A pronged fastener l similar to therpronged fastener 4 projects from the bottom face of the arch thrust portion l adjacent the inner rear edge portion thereof and the prongs of this fastener l0 project through the adjacent portion of the sponge rubber 8.

Before inserting the foot controller in the shoe, the arch thrust portion 'lis initially flexed or disposed at the proper angular relation with respect to the heel portion 2 and when inserted in the shoe, the heel portion 2 will underlie the os calcis a and when pressure is applied to the heel portion 2, the pronged fastener l will be forced downwardly through the insole of the shoe to anchor the heel portion of the foot controller in the shoe.

The arch thrust portion 'l will extend partially beneath and along the inner side of the astragalus b, the forward edge of the arch thrust portion I terminating rearwardly of the metatarsals and underlying the scaphoid c. The pronged 5 fastener IU will enter the adjacent portion of the inner side of the shoe to secure the arch thrust portion against movement when once properly positioned in the shoe.

The arch thrust portion 'l has been especially designed to support the weakest point in the inner longitudinal arch of the foot and it has been found that the' weakest point is at the junction of the scaphoid c and the internal cuneiform bones d.

l5 The outer longitudinal arch is the weight bearing arch of the foot and is in contact with the inner sole of the shoe throughout its entire length. My improved foot controller will distribute the weight properly to this portion of the foot by compelling the placing of the body weight on the outside of the foot and across the ball.

The tapered formation of the heel part 2` as well as the skived arch thrusty portion and the similarly skved sponge rubber cushioning pad 8 assists in throwing the weight to the outer weight bearing arch and distribute it properly to the anterior weight bearing points, namely the heads of the rst and fifth metatarsal bones.

A foot controller of the above mentioned character will prevent the heel from rotating and will hold the foot in correct position at all times and while there can be no relative movement laterally between the foot and the controller, yet a freedom of longitudinal movement in articulation will be permitted.

Further, a foot controller of the character disclosed and described in the present invention can be manufactured and sold at a very low cost and will at all times be positive and eicient in carrying out the purposes for which it has been designed.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In a foot controller, a heel portion, means on the heel portion for pocketing the os calcis and an arch thrust portion extending medially and anteriorly from the forward edge portion of the heel portion.

2. In a foot controller, a heel portion, means on the heel portion for pocketing the os calcis, and an arch thrust portion extending medially and anteriorly from the forward edge portion ofl the heel portion, and means for securing the heel and arch thrust portions in a shoe.

3. In a foot controller, a heel portion, and a substantially elliptical arch thrust portion extending 'rnedially and anteriorly from the forward edge portion of the heel portion, said heel portion tapering gradually from its inner towards its outer longitudinal edge, the arch thrust portion adapted to underlie the inner longitudi` nal arch at the junction of the scaphoid and the internal cuneiform bones.

4. In a foot controller, a heel portion, a substantially elliptical arch thrust portion extending medially and anteriorly from the forward edge portion of the heel portion, said heel portion tapering gradually from its inner towards its outer longitudinal edge, the arch thrust portion adapted to underlie the inner longitudinal arch at the junction of the scaphoid and the internal cuneiform bones, and means for securing the heel and arch thrust portions against movement when applied in a shoe.

5. In a foot controller; a heel portion tapering gradually in thickness from its inner to its outer longitudinal edge, a cross bar on the upper face of the heel portion for pocketing the os calcis, and an arch thrust portion extending forwardly from the inner edge of the heel portion and adapted to underlie the inner longitudinal arch of the foot at the junction of the scaphoid and the internal cuneiform bones. Y

6. In a foot controller, a heel portion tapering gradually in thickness from its inner to its outer longitudinal edge, a cross bar on the upper face of the heel portion for pocketing the os calcis, an arch thrust portion extending forwardly from the inner edge of the heel portion and adapted to underlie the inner longitudinal arch of the foot at the junction of the scaphoid and the internal cuneiform bones, and a cushioning pad on the outer face of the arch thrust portion.

7. In a foot controller, a heel portion tapering gradually in thickness from its inner to its outer longitudinal edge, an 0s calcis pocketing bar extending across the top face of the heel portion, an arch thrust portion extending forwardly from the inner edge portion of the heel portion and adapted tobe iiexed upwardly in angularl relation to the heel portion for disposition .beneath the inner longitudinal arch at the junction of the scaphoid and the internal cuneiform bones, and a cushioning pad carried by the outer lface of the arch thrust portion, the outer faces of the arch thrust portion and the cushioning pad being skived around their edges.

8. In a foot controller, a heel portion tapering gradually in thickness from its inner to its outer longitudinal edge, an os calcis pocketing bar extending across the top face of the heel portion, an arch thrust portion extending forwardly from the inner edge portion of the heel portion and adapted to be flexed upwardly in angular relation to the heel portion for disposition beneath the inner longitudinal arch at the junction of the scaphoid and the internal cuneiform bones, a cushioning pad carried by the outer face of the arch thrust portion, the outer faces of the arch thrust portion and the cushioning pad being skived around their edges, and means carried by the heel and arch thrust portions respectively for anchoring the foot controller against movement when applied in a shoe. f

NAT J. BAUMEL. 

